Quick answer: The Carcharodontosaurus is not tamed by knocking it out: first you trap it and bring it creature carcasses until its trust meter is full, then you ride it without a saddle and kill wild creatures to fill the taming bar. If it throws you off, the trust is lost and you have to start again.
Updated October 2026 for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA).
The Carcharodontosaurus, or Carcha, is a giant theropod added to ARK Survival Ascended. It is fast, carries a lot, reduces meat weight and can hold small creatures in its jaws. Its tame is one of the most unusual in the game because you earn its trust instead of knocking it out.
Carcharodontosaurus quick facts in ARK Survival Ascended
| Diet | Carnivore: eats the carcasses of other creatures |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Aggressive |
| Taming method | Special: earn its trust with carcasses, then hunt while riding |
| Preferred kibble | Does not use kibble to tame |
| How to immobilize it | A metal dino gateway trap with Large Bear Traps, as you would build for a Giganotosaurus |
| How to knock it out | It is not knocked out: you tame it by feeding it carcasses to earn its trust and then killing creatures while riding it |
| Saddle | Carcharodontosaurus Saddle; during the tame you ride it without one |
| Maps (ASA) | The Island |
How to tame a Carcharodontosaurus step by step
- Build a trap like the one for a Giganotosaurus: metal dino gateways with Large Bear Traps inside. Leave one side open, lure it in and close it once it is caught.
- Kill creatures nearby and drag their carcasses to it. As it eats them, a trust meter appears above its head.
- Keep feeding carcasses until the meter is full. Corpses of big creatures fill it much faster.
- With full trust you can ride it without a saddle. It is not yours yet: the taming bar appears.
- While riding, kill wild creatures to fill the taming bar. Avoid taking hits, because that lowers effectiveness, and do not attack Alphas.
- If it throws you off, the trust resets and you will need to repeat the carcass step.
Where to find the Carcharodontosaurus in ARK Ascended
On The Island it roams the mountains, especially around the volcano, in open areas with room to move. It is one of the biggest predators on the map: spot it from a distance before you get close.
Official ARK Survival Ascended maps where it spawns: The Island.
Carcharodontosaurus abilities and uses
- Very fast with a large carrying capacity.
- Meat weighs less in its inventory.
- Can grab small creatures in its jaws to carry them.
- A very strong melee predator.
Tips and mistakes to avoid
- Clear wild creatures from the area before starting so nothing interrupts you.
- High-level ones may take several attempts: be patient and keep spare carcasses ready.
- While riding it untamed, pick easy prey so it does not take damage.
Tame your Carcharodontosaurus faster on Tharyon
On Tharyon you get 8x taming, 35x maturation and 25x hatching, so you can build your team without wasting hours.
- ARK Survival Ascended with crossplay: PC, PS5 and Xbox.
- 8x taming, 2.5x XP and harvesting, 35x maturation and 25x hatching.
- 11 PvE maps: The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Island, Genesis 1, Astraeos and Forglar.
- Automatic events (a supply crate every 60 minutes and an event creature every 70), quests and an in-game shop.
To join, hop into our Discord and use the /link command. See every rate in the rates section.
Carcharodontosaurus taming FAQ
How do you tame a Carcharodontosaurus in ARK Ascended?
By filling its trust meter with carcasses and then killing creatures while riding it until the taming bar is complete.
What does a Carcharodontosaurus eat?
Carcasses of other creatures. No kibble is used for the tame: you drag dead creatures’ bodies to it.
Do I need a saddle to ride it during the tame?
No. Once trust is full you can ride it without a saddle to finish the tame.
What happens if the Carcha throws me off?
The trust resets and you need to feed it carcasses again before you can ride it.
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